FIFA announces Club World instead of Confederations in 2021

At FIFA Congress this Friday, Gianni Infantino announced that, starting in 2021, a new Club World Cup with 24 participating teams, which will take the place of the Confederations Cup.

"We have the responsibility of making sure that professional football goes ahead and what better than having a real Club World Cup," the Swiss explained at a press conference, but did not specify how many teams and referred him to further talks with the club. UEFA, which has been contrary to an expansion of the current format of the competition.

The new club fair will be played between June and July 2021, with headquarters to be defined, and will replace the Confederations Cup.

In that sense, the Association of European Clubs (ECA) has sent a letter to UEFA to underline that none of its 232 members is willing to participate in the new Club World Cup, which did not seem to matter to Infantino.

Gianni Infantino at the 68th Fifa Congress Getty Images

"All the great teams are going to participate, we will continue to debate but FIFA's vision is to include everyone and our responsibility today was to make a decision," he responded, commenting on the rejection expressed by the clubs of the European Association (ECA).

"I respect the positions of everyone, but I am sure that in the end, clubs, leagues, players and associations will be very satisfied," added the FIFA president who spoke of a "positive impact on the international calendar". "Occupy a space that was already reserved to play," referring to the former Confederations Cup.

About that the World of Qatar is played with 48 selections instead of 32, the final decision will be given next June. "We know the situation in the region, Qatar is open to that option (the expansion of 32 to 48 teams) and we will see what can be done, we will explore the possibilities and in June there will be a proposal to the Congress," said FIFA president , Gianni Infantino, who was open to other countries in the area to share the organization with Qatar.

On June 13, the FIFA Congress agreed that Mexico, the United States and Canada would organize in 2026 a World Cup with 48 selections.

If in Qatar the same scheme is maintained, the 2022 World Cup will go from 64 to 80 matches, with a duration of 32 days. In front of the 8 groups of 4 teams, there are 16 groups of 3 teams. The first two of each team would qualify to sixteenths.

The agreed allocation of seats was then as follows: Europe would have 16 (compared to the current 13), Africa 9 (5), Asia 8 (4), South America 6 (4), North and Central America 6 (3) and Oceania will be ensures a fixed position (0). The other two places would come out of a repechage tournament in which six teams participate.

The final decision will be made on June 5, the same day that Gianni Infantino will be reelected as president, after being the only candidate.

Similarly, Infantino announced that for the Women's World of this year, the use of the VAR.

At another point, it was announced that Brazil will be the new headquarters of the World U-17 replacing Peru, country that was originally going to organize this fair.

Saturday,
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2019
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16:32
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